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  3. Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

Зато я вас прекрасно узнал.

English translation: But I realized who you were.

17:44 Sep 6, 2020
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama / comedy (word play)
Russian term or phrase: Зато я вас прекрасно узнал.
I've translated the comedy "True Friends" (1954) https://vimeo.com/447977031

At 1:25:48 there is a word play:

Нехода: Как же я вас не узнал? (How couldn't I recognise you?)
Нестратов: Зато я вас прекрасно узнал. (But I got to know you perfectly.)

Nestratov means that we has learned a lot about Nekhoda now. He has learned that Nekhoda is a terrible red-tapist.

However, Nestratov uses the same word "узнал" (find out, get to know; recognise), so his sentense may mean also "But I recognised you perfectly." This creates an amusing word play. So far, I have not managed to put these two meanings in one sentence.
Iouri Belov
Finland
Local time: 13:49
English translation:But I realized who you were.
Explanation:
-I didn't realize it was you!
-But I realized who you were.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-09-06 19:16:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you want to try and use "recognize," it would be:
-How could I've not recognized you?
-I recognized who you were right away/ a long time ago.
But, this is pretty long compared to the Russian variant. Also, I'd italicize the "I" for emphasis (instead of using "but") here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2020-09-07 16:48:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

-How could I've not recognized you?
-I recognized you though. (Another option, which matches how short the Russian dialogue is)
Selected response from:

Katya Kesten
Local time: 05:49
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2см.
IrinaN
4 +1As for me, I did get to know you alright.
Michael Sarni
3 +1But I can recognize someone like you from a mile away.
Angela Greenfield
4But I realized who you were.
Katya Kesten
3But I had no problems getting the measure of you//sizing you up.
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
Summary of reference entries provided
How come I didn't recognise you / How come I didn't know you!
Turdimurod Rakhmanov

  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
см.


Explanation:
I can't believe I didn't recognize you!

On the contrary, I had no problem recognizing you.

... yeah, I'll have no problem recognizing you ... you arrogant sonofabitch. He wondered what the Senator had said to Wilson Deevers. Knowing Senator Windell ...
Richard L. Montgomery - 2011 - ‎Fiction

Простите, Юрий, но "How couldn't I recognize you" is not English.

IrinaN
United States
Local time: 05:49
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
Notes to answerer
Asker: "How couldn't I recognize you" shows 782 results in Google. What's wrong with it?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Angela Greenfield: Я за. Плюс согласна с вашим комментарием по поводу перевода первой реплики// Вау, сейчас погуглила и вижу, что каким-то образом эта киношка осталась вне моего поля зрения. Странное дело! Но зато есть, что сегодня на сон грядущий посмотреть:))
4 hrs
  -> Анжела, спасибо! Это советская киношка, ч/б, славная, с Меркурьевым, Чирковым, Пуговкиным.
agree  Mark Vaintroub: Как вариант второй фразы (такой разговорненький): And / But I recognized you all right! Кстати, вариант автора вопроса не так уж и плох - вот только чуть порядок слов изменить (How could I NOT recognize you) и произнести с сответствующей интонацией...
15 hrs
  -> Марк, спасибо. Еще какой вариант:-)! Похоже, лучший:-) Нужно в отдельный ответ.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
But I can recognize someone like you from a mile away.


Explanation:
Я бы так обыграла

Angela Greenfield
United States
Local time: 06:49
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 76

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  IrinaN: Не буду ставить нейтраль, потому что хорошо:-) но регистр не тот. Это легкая комедия, it's a bit too harsh. Я бы и название перевела как Loyal Friends. Не серьезно и сурово "Истинные друзья", а легче - не ругаются, вечно попадая в дурацкие ситуации.
2 hrs
  -> Не читала, поэтому вы, возможно, очень даже правы. Спасибо!
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
But I had no problems getting the measure of you//sizing you up.


Explanation:
: to form a judgment of
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/size up

to think carefully and form an opinion about a person or a situation
He sized up the situation and immediately decided what to do.
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/s...

If you size up a person or situation, you carefully look at the person or think about the situation, so that you can decide how to act.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/size...

I sized you up the minute you walked in the room.
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/size up


cccccccc
get the measure of (someone or something)
To understand or know someone or something well and use that knowledge accordingly; to have an accurate conception of someone or something.
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get the measure of#:~:t...

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 06:49
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 164
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
But I realized who you were.


Explanation:
-I didn't realize it was you!
-But I realized who you were.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-09-06 19:16:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you want to try and use "recognize," it would be:
-How could I've not recognized you?
-I recognized who you were right away/ a long time ago.
But, this is pretty long compared to the Russian variant. Also, I'd italicize the "I" for emphasis (instead of using "but") here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2020-09-07 16:48:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

-How could I've not recognized you?
-I recognized you though. (Another option, which matches how short the Russian dialogue is)

Katya Kesten
Local time: 05:49
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 19
Grading comment
Thank you!
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1 day 16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
As for me, I did get to know you alright.


Explanation:
- How come I didn't get to spot you?
- As for me, I did get to know you alright.

Двойная игра:
get+spot vs get+know.

Michael Sarni
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:49
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Turdimurod Rakhmanov
1 day 16 hrs
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Reference comments


3 days 9 hrs
Reference: How come I didn't recognise you / How come I didn't know you!

Reference information:
Как вариант, может кому то полезно,
Я бы не использовал But в переводе, в контексте все- хоть эта ирония, хоть сарказм скрывается в терминах But и узнать
Первый 'узнать' в смысле recognise, Know;
а Второй в смысле Learn, explore, have an idea about someone
So I would render:

-How come I didn't know (recognise) you!
-But at least, I know for sure who you are! (На английском лучше передать в настоящем времени, на русском в прошедшем)
или
-But at least, I did realise you perfectly well!
Можем передать "Зато" с "But" но в этом случае как мне кажется теряем стиль контекста?
Лучше "But at least"
Просто использовать "know" в обоих случаях, как кажется, будет лучше и более разговорный чем recognise?

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 12
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